Tchaikovsky’s "Violin Concerto in D" is one of the most popular of all time. It’s in just about every top 10 list you can find.

That is precisely why Soviet born violinist, Lisa Batiashvili did not want to touch this piece. Too many had played it, she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to make it “hers.” But then one of the most famous conductors in the world, Daniel Barenboim asked her to perform it with him.

And she accepted. And this is kind of a metaphor because just as Batiashvili made us wait for her impactful rendering of this masterpiece, Tchaikovsky makes us wait for the payoff in the music as well.